Aboard the Ship of Dreams
by xncisgirlx16
Summary: Titanic but altered. It's an NCIS version. Tiva, who else would it be. First fanfic so be kind. Constructive criticism accepted. Definitely AU and probably OOC. Give it a chance, and for those of you who have seen Titanic, this story will not be the same as it, similar maybe, but not the same.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note: This is my first story and I'm not sure if I'm any good at writing but I suppose this is how I'll find out.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS or Titanic. I'm only borrowing them for this story.**

Chapter 1:

Ziva's POV

_Why am I here?_ That is all I kept thinking. That is all that was running through my mind. This is not fair! Why do I get dragged along everywhere. No one asks me what I want to do. This time it just happens to be, "oh my daughter, we're moving to America, isn't it exciting?" No. It is not. But no one listens to me.

"Ziva, my darling, will you get the tickets from my coat pocket? It's right next to you." My soon-to-be fiancé, Ray Cruz, said to me through the door of the car as he was stepping out to tip the driver, who was unloading our bags .

"Yes, of course" I replied, trying to hide the misery that was threatening to escape through my voice. I reach inside his coat pocket and pull out six First Class tickets. I stare at them like they were my worst enemy, which of course, they could be. First we move from Palestine to England, so me and my siblings could live a normal life away from violence and death, and now we are going to America. I could understand moving away the first time, but I was only young, so what did I know.

My mother died when I was ten in 1902 form a bombing in our town. After that, my father could not cope and told us that we were moving away from all the death and destruction so we could start a new life and attempt to forget our past. Well it certainly worked for him. He re-married someone called Ashley Denton - now Ashley David - about a year ago now. I will never think of her as a mother. Not even a step-mother. No one could ever replace that hole in my heart from when she died.

I hardly remember my mother. I know she was pretty, beautiful even, I have pictures that prove that. She had big, deep chocolate coloured eyes, so beautiful that even men who looked into her eyes would just melt and luscious curly brown hair that used to drive her mad in the morning when she had to brush it. The rest of my family used to say I inherited my looks from my mother, and that when I grew up I would be just as beautiful as her and that Ari would be guarding the front door, viciously waving a baseball bat at any boy who even looked at our house. And while what they said Ari would do was indeed true, I still don't believe it. I know she was kind and generous, but other than that, I do not remember anything. I do know in my heart that she was an amazing mother and that I loved her dearly.

Ray brought me out of my head space by waving a hand in front of my face.

"Hey, Sweet Pea, are you alright?" _Urgh! hate that nickname!_

"Yes Ray, I am fine. Now can we please get this play on the street?" I said, my tone dull, as I walked off towards the ramp that leads us to the ship. I could feel Ray's puzzled eyes on me as I walked away and I knew instantly that I'd messed up again. Stupid idioms! I thought. But why does he never correct me? If I'm saying something wrong I should at least be told what the right saying is. I heard the little footsteps running towards me before I even saw her.

"Zi-zi", Tali screamed happily, still every bit of the excited little ball of energy she was when she was younger. I put a smile on my face and turned around, trying to ignore the onlookers' reactions to Tali shouting.

"Hello Tali, aren't I a bit old for a nickname now?" I questioned, my arms wide open, expecting her hug and bracing myself for impact.

"No", she stated simple as she launched herself at me.

"Ooff." The sound escaped from my mouth accidentally. No matter how many times I have been hugged by her I seem to always be a little bit winded.

"Tali... Having... Trouble... Breathing..." I managed to get out.

"Oops, sorry, it's just been so long since I've seen you." She was smiling so much I wondered how her face wasn't hurting.

"Tal, you saw me last weekend when Papa and I came to pick you up from Hannah's after her party. By the way, did you tell her that I was sorry I couldn't go?" Hannah is our cousin and I was still feeling a bit guilty for not going, it was her eighteenth birthday after all but Ray kept me home saying that I was too mature to go out drinking. However, Tali didn't have a chance to answer me before Ray came up behind me and linked my arm with his.

"Are you ready to go Sweet Pea?" _I __**really**__ hate that nickname._ "We need to board." He said, pulling me away from Tali, not even considering that there was something else I would rather be doing than walking - more like being dragged - alongside him.

"Yes, I suppose" I answered, no emotion in my voice, not like he would notice. "Come on Tali, we can go and find your room." I replied, making my way up the ramp to board the ship. Spending time looking for a room with my baby sister should be far more entertaining than sitting with my future fiancé listening to him talking about business with my father.

**Ok. Well, that's it for the first chapter. Just a sort of an introduction to the story I guess. It's exam month so I'm sorry if it's a while before I upload the second chapter. Please click that button below and review and tell me what you think.**

**Thanks, Soph :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thanks to all the people that reviewed the first chapter. I know that some of you wanted a longer chapter but this is only introducing the characters so future chapters will be longer. Anyway, enough of me rambling and on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS or Titanic. I'm only borrowing them for this story.**

Chapter 2:

Tony's POV

"Raise", the foreign man who sat next to me said in a gruff, stern voice. I glanced at my cards one last time to memorise them and I put them face down on the poker table. There was no way I was folding, I wasn't going to give up my chance of going to America.

"Call", I replied confidently. Three others at our table folded. Just me and one other left. I could sense my best friend Tim McGee's presents behind me. My heart felt as if it was beating out of my chest as the man next to me said all in. This was not good, is he bluffing? I can't tell. Might as well go all in as well. As I pushed all my chips into the middle of the table, I heard Tim take a sharp, small intake of breath and he placed his hand on my shoulder. The man turns over his cards and I see that he has a full house. Two kings and three threes. All eyes are on me however I just look straight ahead into my opponent's cold black eyes.

"Move over lads because I got me a straight flush! Boom!" I said ecstatically as I threw my hand on the table. I turned around to hug Tim.

"We're going back to America McGee, woo hoo" I shouted. McGee and I did a little happy dance. The last time we where in America was when I was a federal agent at the FBI four years ago, but then I got framed for murder and nobody believed that I didn't kill anyone besides Tim. After that, I got told to leave the country, and McGee - being the good friend that he is - offered to go with me. I still kept in touch with everyone who I used to work with. However, my old boss, Tobias, wrote me last week saying that we're were free to come back. We didn't have enough money for tickets so that's were the poker game comes in, and I can't believe it. We won two tickets to America.

"Hey!" The barman shouted over to us, "you won't be going back if you miss the ship, Titanic leaves," he points to the clock on the wall, "in five minutes."

"Five minutes! Shit! McMoney grab the tickets" I said as I shoved all the chips that I won from poker into a bag.

"Now run" I said while making my way to the entrance of the bar.

"Tony, You forgot your coat!"

"I don't care, just run McGee!"

Pushing and shoving our way through the crowd of people standing near the railings, waving to there loved ones as they where about to sail of to America, we almost never saw the turn to go up the ramp to get to the ship. Almost.

"We're not going to make it" McGee said, and I look up to see members of the crew preparing to shut the door.

"Wait, wait, wait, we have tickets, come on, please" I said to the woman standing next to the door, flashing her my 1000-watt smile.

"Ok, come aboard" she replied, giving me a small flirty smile back while the man who stood next to her rolled his eyes.

"See McWorry, we made it. There was no need to McPanic" I stated to McGee, grinning to myself.

"Aw Tony, again with the McNicknames, can't you just drop it" McGee complained.

"Never McGoo" I said, still grinning.

We pushed our way to the railings and waved over dramatically at the sea of people on the dock as Titanic started its journey to America.

**AN#2: I told you it was short. I realise that when I said Tony was asked to leave the country that that might not have happened but in this story it has. This chapter is a one off, I assure you the chapters will get longer but I should be uploading a new chapter once a week.**

**Please review if you like the story so far, if you don't, if you have any suggestion. Just make sure you click that button below and review!**

**Thanks, Soph :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Hey again. Thanks to everyone who has encouraged me to continue on with this story and again a big thanks to Candra Jade who is helping me write these chapters by giving me some of her ideas to use as well as correcting the facts I get wrong. Anyway, here's chapter three.**

******Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS or Titanic. I'm only borrowing them for this story.**

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Chapter 3:

Ziva's POV

After boarding Titanic, I found out that me and Tali would be sharing a suite. While Tali was sorting out the books that she had brought with her (she always like to arrange them herself) I was wandering around the room, trying to find a place for my drawings and my sketch books. I love to draw and paint in my spare time. If I ever have any. Ray thinks it's stupid and a waste if time, but it calms me. If he catches me drawing he'll sometimes make up and excuse for me to go somewhere or do something with him, just to get me away from my pencil and paper. I found a chest of draws next to the bed which had a lock on it and the key was inside one of the draws. _Perfect! _I thought. I placed all of my pencils and my sketch books inside as quickly as I could, shut the draw and locked it. I had just managed to lock the draw and shove the key in my pocket seconds before Ray walked in from his room opposite mine with a man following behind him.

"Sweetie, have I introduced you to the captain yet?" He asked.

"No, you have not. Hello sir, my name is..." I started but didn't get to finish before Ray interrupted me, not for the first time this day.

"This is Ziva David, my fiancé" he said while giving me a scowl for trying to introduce myself. He then turned his gaze back to the captain, "Ziva, this is Captain Gibbs"

I turned my look to Captain Gibbs, "It's very nice to meet you sir" I said with a small but meaningful smile.

"You too," he replied, "but you can just call me Gibbs, Miss David" he replied with a matching, slightly crooked, smile.

"Ziva" I corrected as I held out my glove covered hand. He picked up my hand and bent his head down a pressed a kiss to my knuckles.

"Ziva" he said again, as if correcting himself from a mistake. He was still giving me a slight grin.

"Miss David will be fine to you" Ray stated towards Gibbs, "she is my Ziva" he finished, giving me a warm smile.

I looked towards Ray in shock, as did Gibbs. _I belong to __**nobody**_ I thought, but I would never say it out loud. I looked down at my feet. Gibbs and Ray were still angrily staring at each other as I quietly excused myself to go to the restroom.

As I closed the door to the bedroom, I looked at the two other doors, one leading to the en suite bathroom, the other leading to another room which was connected to a corridor. I Looked between the two doors for a minute before making up my mind. I quickly glanced behind me at the closed door of the bedroom, making sure that Ray was still outside in the sitting room and had not followed me in as I reached into my pocket to get the key for the chest of drawers next to the bed, unlocked it and grabbed a pencil and a sketch book. I nearly forgot to lock the drawer before I silently opened the door that lead to the corridor and escaped out of the room.

I breathed a sign of relief as I managed to get away from my room without Ray or anyone else catching me. I glanced to my right down the corridor, but it seemed to be busy so I turned left instead. Seeing as I got to my room coming from the right I had no idea where I was going. I was just hoping that I didn't get lost or run into my father or Ray. Ray was, hopefully, still in my room so I didn't have to worry much about him, it was bumping into the rest of my family that I was afraid of.

Luckily, I got to the ship deck without being seen. I walked round to the side of the ship where I found a bench, so I sat down, opened my sketch book to a clean page and looked up at the scene in front of me to find something to draw. To my left, on the bench next to mine, there was a old man sitting reading a book. I shook my head slightly. I looked to my right. There was a man with a little girl, obviously father and daughter, leaning over the side of the ship looking out at the water. I smiled to myself. This was the picture I wanted to draw. Someone happy. A family. Something that I wanted to be apart of instead of being a puppet for my father and a doll for my fiancé to show off in front of his colleagues.

I touched my pencil to the paper and as soon as I started to concentrated on the feel of the pencil moving in my hand I could feel myself starting to relax. This was my happy place. I could have been there for hours for all I know. What I did know was that the people who I was sketching had left, to get some lunch probably, and the I was almost finished with the drawing. I put some few last minute shading to the drawing of the silhouettes on the deck behind the two people standing by the railing. I placed the pencil in my lap, held up my finished piece of art in front of me, tilted my head slightly and smiled again. I was always happy with my final piece and if I wasn't I would keep adding changes until I was.

"Ziva!" I heard a familiar voice faintly shouting my name. I looked up from my work and down the walkway to see a worried looking father with Ray following him closely behind. As fast as I could, I shut my sketch book and put it to the side of me so they could hardly see it and stood up before they reached me.

"Oh my Ziva. Where have you been my darling, we have been looking everywhere for you" my father said.

"You must **never** do that again, Ziva, do you understand?" Ray said, making sure that he over pronounced the 'never'. I looked down at my feet and then up at the water behind Ray, just so I didn't look in his eyes.

"You must look at me when I'm talking to you Ziva!" He said angrily, not quite raising his voice to alert other people, but enough to get his message across. He grabbed my chin with a heavy hand and forced me to look him in the eye.

"Do. You. Understand. Me?" He questioned once again. His piercing, cold stare passing right through me making me shiver, and not in a good way.

"Yes, I understand. I am sorry for not telling you where I was going before I left." I whispered, just loud enough for him to hear me. I was that scared that he was going to back hand me across my face that I couldn't make my voice any louder. I knew though, that Ray would never do that. _Well, not in public at least, but once we got back their rooms there is no saying what he will do._

"Good" he stated. He released his grip on my chin to stretch his fingers out and stroke my cheek once. I had to control the flinch that threatened to break through at his touch and held my face still. He removed his hand completely from my face just to link it with my arm and pull me in the direction of the giant restaurant for lunch. I looked at my father as we passed him. He had stood and watched mine and Ray's little talk and he had said nothing. Sometimes I think that he likes my fiancé more than he does me, and then I realise, who am I kidding, I **know** he likes my fiancé more than me. He probably supports Ray in how he treats me. I wouldn't be surprised if Eli actually gave Ray tips on how to handle me as a wife and how to treat me. Overall, this day has just gone from bad to worse. I can only hope that I can enjoy myself a little before we dock in America.

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**AN #2: Well that's it. I know some people wanted me to write longer chapters and I'm getting there, this is a few hundred words more than the first chapter. Hopefully I will write other chapters longer and chapters in any other stories I may write in the future. **

**A review will be greatly appreciated. Please review if you liked it, didn't like it or if anyone has any improvements I could make. Whichever it is just review!**

**Thanks, Soph :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Ok so I've had to do exams this week and I still have my Maths exam to revise for so I'm sorry if this chapter isn't very good. After next week is over I'm sure the chapters will get better and hopefully longer. I'd like to say thanks to Candra Jade again for helping me with this chapter and for giving me the idea for the ending to this chapter. Enough of me rambling and on with the chapter. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS or Titanic. I'm only borrowing them for this story.**

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Chapter 4:

Tony's POV

Finally! I'm going back to America I thought. This is what me and McGee have been waiting for, for all these years. I was down on the deck waiting for McGee to come from our room. He was chatting to our room mate Danny before I left to come onto the deck. I leaned my head back to look up at the sky and I got lost in my own little world until I heard a door open and footsteps running.

I sat up and looked around. Just in time for me to see a woman speed walk past me and sit on a bench a few metres away from where I was sitting. She was stunning. She had sun kissed skin and chocolate brown, curls that looked really soft and delicate. I couldn't see her face but I could feel the tension coming off her. I wondered why she was on the lower deck. She was dressed like she was a first class passenger. I wonder what made her come down here I thought. I saw her taking a deep, soothing breath and she closed her eyes. When she opened them again she looked around, as if she was looking for something.

She looked in my direction and I held my breath and looked away from her face. She has the most beautiful eyes I have even seen, I thought. As I glanced back towards the woman again, out of the corner of my eye I noticed the little spark in her eyes and a smile pull at the corner of her mouth. Looks like she found what she was looking for. The next thing I knew she was writing something in a book that, I had only just noticed, was on her lap. When she looked back up it finally hit me that she was drawing a scene playing out in front of me. The little girl and her father laughing and smiling while the man points out little boats in the distance.

It was a beautiful sight. She was in her own little world, not even realising I was watching her. I watched and the fine strokes of the pencil on the paper calmed her. I smiled to myself. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back, feeling the head of the sun shining on my face.

I must have fallen asleep because when I opened my eyes next, the sun was directly over head and the little girl and her father where gone. But the woman wasn't. She was still there drawing in her little book. She must be still in a trance from drawing. If she's anything like me when I play piano then she could be there for a while.

The next thing I know there are two men from further down the side of the ship shouting a name that I couldn't make out. I see the mystery woman look up towards where both of the men where standing. I felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach at the thought of the younger man being the woman's husband or fiancée. But maybe the men where her father and brother? I thought.

"Oh my Ziva. Where have you been my darling, we have been looking everywhere for you" I heard the older man say. Ziva, I thought. A beautiful name to go with a beautiful girl.

The two men walk up to her and I notice that she slips the sketch book that she was drawing in off her knee to sit next to her on the bench so that the two men couldn't see it. I wonder what she's hiding. The mystery woman, apparently named Ziva, stood up just seconds before the men reach her and I watch closely and the scene before me unfolds. I also notice the engagement ring on her finger and my stomach sinks even further down. Not brother, fiancé I thought miserably.

When the younger man raised his voice I saw the woman flinch slightly, unnoticed by her fiancé but I am an ex-FBI agent after all so nothing can really get past me. The younger man grabs her face and forces her to look him in the eye and my instinct was to just up to defend this mystery woman but I forced the feeling away. I can't do that. I don't know her and I'm sure my defending her won't be very well received if the look on the mans face had anything to go by and that was just from her walking off without telling him. I overheard that bit. No, i'll have to stay put. If I even thought about standing up and defending her I'm sure one of the Stewards would think I am harassing her and pull me away anyway. So I decided to just keep a close eye on them.

The two men walk off pulling her towards the entrance for first class class passengers. Of course, just my luck! I'm interested a girl who's rich and engaged to another man. I'm never going to see her again I told myself as I watch her walk off with her fiancé and her father. McGee brought me back to reality by lightly hitting my shoulder.

"Hey! What was that for?" I protested while rubbing my shoulder where he'd hit me for added effect.

"I was trying to get you to listen to me. Where were you?" McGee question as he realised that I still wasn't completely back to reality.

"No where, I was just... Thinking" wow! Are you always that bad at lying?

"Yeah, sure you were. Anyway, I was talking to Danny and he knows somewhere where we could go any eat. You in?" McGee question.

"Yeah, ok" I replied, only just coming out of my daze. I spared one more glance in the direction where the mystery woman went before I stood and stretched my back. Wait a minute I thought and I turned back around to the bench that the woman was sitting on.

"She left it" I said, not realising that I had spoke my thought.

"Who left what?" McGee said, confused as ever.

"Ziva" I replied, as if that would clear up McGee's confusion. I walked towards the bench she was sitting on.

"Huh? Who's Ziva?" McGee followed me to the next bench and stared blankly at the book I picked up.

"There was a girl, a woman, sat here drawing in this. She was beautiful. And her fiancé came and pulled her away and she left it" I said shaking the book around.

"Okay" McGee said as if I was going mad.

"I'm not crazy, she was here, otherwise there was no way for me to have this" I said waving the book in McGee's face again.

"Yeah, okay okay, I believe you, now can you stop waving that thing around. You're going to hit me with it" McGee said as he backed up a little, away from my arm.

-

"Oops, sorry McGee" I said, while looking down at the book in my hands, wondering whether I should open it or not. I tilted my head a bit, showing McGee that I was in deep thought. I faintly heard him sigh deeply but I ignored him, turned the book over and over in my hands. All of a sudden McGee grabbed hold of my shoulders and shook me.

"Tony!" McGee shouted.

"Sorry McGee, I'm just not in the right place of mind right now. You go ahead with Danny, I'll meet up with you a bit later" I replied to his earlier question. McGee gave me a funny look.

"Alright, are you sure you're okay Tony?"

"Yes I'm find McWorry, I'll see you soon" I said.

"Okay, later DiNozzo" McGee replied

"Yeah, whatever" I said in a type of whisper, as I sat down and open the book to the last page that had been drawn on.

Wow! This is amazing I thought to myself. She's really talented. I focused on the shading of the drawing, mesmerised by the skills that this woman possessed. I turned back a page to see a very detailed butterfly that had landed on a leaf next to a flower. She had used colour on this drawing. My eyes followed all of the detail in the butterfly's wings as well as the patterns on the leaf. I traced the edge of the butterfly and looked at the blending of all the colours she had used.

I turned back one more page telling myself that this is the last one and I was stunned by what I saw. The picture was of a young woman sat in the middle of a field, legs tucked to the left side of her body, her body tilting the opposite way and she was leaning on her right hand. Her hair falling behind her down to the bottom of her back. It was a beautiful picture. Everything about the drawing screamed happy. The different flowers among the grass, the sun rays shining down. Even the way the woman was sitting. Everything looked happy, everything other than the woman herself. She had tears running down her face, eyes closed and her head tilted to the side as she looked down, trying to hide her face from everything, as if trying not to spoil the drawing. You could just about see the diamond ring on the third finger on the hand that was laying across her lap.

I wasn't expecting the amount of emotion that hit me when I realised the drawing was of Ziva. The fact that this is what she sees herself as is wrong. Nobody should feel like this. I shut the sketch book, feeling my own eyes stinging and I blinked fast trying not to let the tears fall. That would be embarrassing. I need to find her I thought. I need to give this back. I will find you somehow Ziva.

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**AN#2: Well that's the chapter. If anyone have any ideas that I could add into this story in the next few chapters then feel free to PM me. **

**Please review and let me know if you liked it, if you didn't or what I could improve. Either way I hope you click that little button below and leave a comment.**

**Thanks, Soph :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while, Ive just had a lot going on in my life. I'm still quite busy so I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up but I will upload it as soon as possible. Anyway, enjoy chapter 5. I didn't know how to follow the last chapter and this was my best idea. So on with the story. **

**Disclaimer: Characters not mine! Just the idea of the story. **

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Chapter 5:

Ziva's POV

When I got back to my room, I found Tali sitting on the couch with a guilty look on her face.

"I'm sorry Ziva, I'm so, so sorry" she said

"What are you sorry for Tal?" I questioned.

"I didn't know that you didn't want anyone to know you where so when Ray asked me I said I saw you go out the door and he stormed off and I didn't know that you just left and... Oh I'm so sorry Ziva" she replied, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks.

"Oh Tali it's ok, nothing happened. He just dragged me to a late lunch with Papa and Ari, walked me around the A-deck for an hour or so in silence and then brought me back to our room. He hasn't spoken to me since he found me. I'm still not sure if that's a bad thing" I said with a little smirk pulling at the corner of my mouth.

"Anyway it doesn't matter, he has probably gone with Papa to talk about business and then he will come and collect us with Papa and Ari for dinner. I need to find out what I'm going to wear tonight because knowing Ray he will be very strict on what I wear for dinner. You should also decide what you are going to wear Tali, dinner is in a couple of hours" I said after looking at the clock to confirm that the time was half 5.

Ray had booked a table for dinner tonight at 7 in the A La Card restaurant. I was told to wear something elegant. When Ray told me that I couldn't wear my favourite skirt and blouse because it wasn't classy enough for a first class woman, I wanted to hit him. But of course I couldn't._ He has too much control over my life_ I thought as I slipped into long white halter neck maxi dress with a beaded waistband and neck piece. I had the dress altered so that it had a longer train so it could flow behind me as I walked. I looked into the full length mirror in front of me and smiled to myself.

"Aw Zi-zi, you look like a princess" I heard Tali say in awe of how I looked. I turned around to face her and thanked her with a warm smile.

"You look amazing too Tali" I said grabbing her hand and twirling her around. I listened to her giggle and the sound soothed me. _Why can't my life be as carefree as Tali's._

"Come on Tal, we should wait in the lounge for Papa, Ari and Ray" I said Ray's name with less feeling than intended but I don't think Tali caught it.

"Ok Zivi" she replied.

After half an hour, I looked at the clock on the mantle piece, showing that the time was quarter to 7. Ray finally knocked on the door and then entered our room with my father and Ari. I give Ari a small smile and he nods back, choosing not to say anything but still acknowledging that he saw me.

"Hello Papa" I said. What else was I suppose to say. I wasn't sure whether or not he was still mad at me for disappearing earlier. I could tell Ray was. I glance at Ray's face and notice that he is scowling a little. _Yes, __**definitely**__ still mad._

"Ziva" my father said whilst nodding once, walking towards me and kissing my forehead. I bow my head a little before he reaches me so that I don't look him in the eye. I'm still afraid I will see disappointment or maybe a little angry expressed on his face but he doesn't notice that I turn my head away so that I don't look at him. He just kisses my head once and then steps back and makes room for Ray to appear in front of me. I know that I have to look up now because if I don't he will hit me like he almost did on the deck. I can feel his stare on me as I lift my head to look at him. I give him a weak - and fake - smile.

"Hello Ray" I said quietly to him. "How were drinks with Papa?" I continued as I glanced at my father over Ray's shoulder.

"Fine. I'm more interested in what you spent your time doing when I left you after our walk. Did you run off again?" He asked accusingly.

"No Ray, I didn't. I stayed here and read one of Tali's books and then got ready for dinner. Is this ok to wear for dinner?" I asked shyly, scared that he was going to tell me to change into something different that he will pick out.

"I suppose that I will have to do. If you change now we will be late for our reservation and that would make me look bad. And we don't want that. Do we?" He said in a stern voice, subtly telling me not to argue with him on this.

"No we do not. Come on Tali, are you ready?" I said turning to ask Tali who was standing behind me.

"Yes Zivi, I'm ready" she replied.

Papa lead the way out of our room, followed by Ari and Tali and Ray dragging me along behind them. It was a short walk to the restaurant. Well, I seemed to think so. As soon as we sat down Ray started to complain about how far or rooms were away from the restaurant and the A-Deck and said that he should of paid more money to get a nicer room either closer to the dining room or closer to the deck. I couldn't care less though. I had to admit, it was a nice restaurant with lovely centre pieces on each table.

"This is the best table in this place" Ray announced. "You all should be thanking me for being able to book this table for dinner" he bragged.

We shared one of the bigger tables with two other couples. One was a rich older couple who were born in Germany, Isidor and Ida Strauss, possibly in there 60s. They are wonderful people. They were the owners of the store Macy's. Then there was Henry Frauenthal, who was a well-known doctor, his wife Clara and his brother Isaac. Henry and Clara were both in their 40s and they were on their Honeymoon. They were also a lovely couple. Over dinner I found out that for Henry it was his first marriage and Clara was a divorced mother of an 8 year old girl, but she wasn't with them on their journey.

We had a lovely dinner and once it was over Ray announced that he was going to another room for a drink of whiskey and asked if anyone would join him. Of course Papa and Ari stood up from the table to leave with him as well as the two Frauenthal brothers.

I made sure to tell Ray that I was going for a walk on the deck for a couple of hours before going back to my room for a good nights rest. He seemed please enough that I'd told him so he let me leave without a comment, however, as I left the table I saw a small smile on his face and I could tell that he was pleased that he'd scared me enough last time that when I went this time I let him know where I was going. I checked the time, and seeing that the clock near the entrance to the restaurant showed that it was nearly 9 o'clock, I made my way to the the lower deck. If Ray did end up looking for me later, he wouldn't think to go down there first which means that I got more time away from him. And the longer I am away from him, the better.

* * *

**AN#2: So, what do you all think? Was it good? Was it bad? Leave a review and let me know what you think and any improvements I could make. Do you think Ziva should meet Tony in the next chapter.**

**Again, I'm sorry for the long wait but I'm not sure how long it will be until I post chapter 6, but it won't be as long as last time.**


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